Columbia College of Dental Medicine Welcomes Its First ITI Scholarship Recipients
The Columbia University College of Dental Medicine reached a new milestone in global dental education with the arrival of its first two recipients of the prestigious International Team for Implantology scholarship. As one of approximately 45 ITI Scholarship Centers worldwide, Columbia is now part of an international network dedicated to advancing excellence in implant dentistry through education, research, and clinical care.
The ITI Scholarship program, established in 1998, supports outstanding young clinicians from around the world by offering year-long immersive residencies to study implantology at leading academic institutions. Since its inception, the program has supported more than 400 scholars from more than 50 countries, fostering international exchange and developing future leaders in implant dentistry
A New ITI Scholarship Center in New York
Columbia’s ITI Scholarship offers scholarship recipients an integrated experience across periodontics and prosthodontics, providing comprehensive exposure to both surgical and restorative implant therapy. Scholars work
closely with faculty in Columbia’s Implantology Center, dividing their time between patient care, translational and clinical research, and advanced didactic coursework
Karim El Kholy, DDS, MSc, DMSc, Dr Med Dent, chair of CDM’s ITI Scholarship Center, has had a long-standing involvement with the ITI, as a research fellow, consensus conference participant, and mentor. He played a central role in shaping Columbia’s successful application to become a Scholarship Center. Drawing on his own formative experiences within the ITI, El Kholy envisioned a program rooted defined by technical rigor, close mentorship, and scholarly collaboration.
“There's this kind of coaching relationship [inherent in the ITI scholarship program] that's very special,” El Kholy says. “I wanted to recreate that here. We have a wonderful medical center, and we have a great implant faculty including Dennis Tarnow, a giant in the field of implantology.”
El Kholy, and Luiz Pimenta, DDS, MS, PhD, MBA, serve as mentors for the scholars, ensuring they benefit from both surgical and prosthodontic perspectives and are fully integrated into Columbia’s clinical and academic community.
Meet Columbia’s First ITI Scholars
Ángel García Cañas, DDS, MSc, the first ITI Scholar CDM, earned his dental degree from Universidad Europea de Madrid, graduating first in his class, and completed advanced training in implantology, implant prosthetics, advanced periodontology, and periodontal plastic surgery in Spain and Italy.
During his year at Columbia, García Cañas engaged in translational and clinical research while participating in advanced implant treatment planning and patient care.
Victor Astolfi Gonzalez-Mogena, DDS, PhD, MSc, has practiced dentistry since 2014 and completed extensive postgraduate training, including a three-year master’s program in periodontics and implants, and postgraduate advanced training in bone regeneration and adhesive and aesthetic dentistry. His thesis on peri-implantitis received the highest academic distinction in Spain.
Astolfi Gonzalez-Mogena left a successful private practice to pursue advanced academic training at Columbia. At CDM, he works across both the periodontics and prosthodontics divisions, participates in seminars and literature reviews, and collaborates with Dr. El Kholy and faculty mentors on multiple research projects with strong potential impact on the field
A Model of Mentorship and Global Exchange
A defining feature of Columbia’s ITI Scholarship experience is its emphasis on mentorship and integration. Scholars participate in clinical care under supervision, contribute to ongoing research, and engage in rigorous didactic learning alongside residents and faculty. Through Columbia’s ITI Study Club, scholars also connect with visiting international leaders in implant dentistry, expanding their professional networks and exposure to diverse perspectives.
Looking Ahead
With its first two ITI Scholars successfully completing their training, CDM is poised to build on this foundation. The ITI Scholarship reflects the College’s broader mission to advance oral health through innovation, education, and service, locally and globally, while preparing the next generation of leaders in implant dentistry.
